How To Increase Dream Recall

[zxc]

My dream recall is terrible right now, maybe 1 dream every 2 weeks, usually less. I want to start a dream journal, but I don't know if it would help any when I only remeber 1 every 2 weeks. How much does the amount of sleep affect your dream recall, do you need to need to get more than 8 hours?

[Umbrella]

The amount of sleep does affect your dream recall in that you have a better chance to wake up from a dream (REM-sleep) when you've been sleeping longer. Also, you might remember a dream from another REM period, but that doesn't happen much. Anyway, the best advice I can give you is to start a dream journall immediately. Not only does this provide some interesting dream stories, but it's also the best method of improving dream recall in itself. When you go to sleep, simply try to concentrate on your desire to remember your dreams when you wake up. Don't get frustrated if you can't stay concentrated on it, it'll be no big deal. What's more important is to remember to think about your dreams as soon as you wake up. The trick is to lie still when you wake up and think: okay, I dreamt about this and this and this. Then write down some keywords . If you can think of anything, keep thinking. Something might come back to you. After writing down keywords, try writing the stories around them. You'll find you start remembering pieces of your dream that you hadn't remembered in the first place. Good luck

[zxc]

Thanks, I'll try this tonight.

[On the Wings of a Dream]

i figured out that on like weekends when im getting 12+ hours of sleep i have alot better dream recall than on schooldays when im only getting 5-6 hours. So the more sleep u get the easier it is to remember ur dreams, i hope that helps :\

[zxc]

Thanks, I'll try to get more sleep. My average right now is 4-6 hours, I might get 8 hours tonight, and I'll write down whatever I dream in a book or something. Thanks for the help.

[blackberry829]

Yeah, keep a dream journal. It may not seem like it, but it does help. Just make sure you do write them down. We all have trouble rolling over and writing down our dream, but it's something that you have to do. And maybe you should keep it with you all day, so if you remember something, you can write it down. (that's what I do, although it's kind of hard to do it in the middle of a test. >_>)

[Alban]

I also find that if i get a good few hours before midnight I recall a whole lot better. So going to bed early might make a difference, at least, it seems to for me.